2. Background

The consultation on The Code of Practice for the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Roads was published by Transport Scotland on 13 July 2012 and ran until 12 October 2012. The publishing of this analysis report has been delayed by a number of factors, particularly the highly technical nature of the Specification itself. The working group found that the issue of Hydraulically Bound Mixtures was contentious and required specialist technical advice to be sought. Consequently, disagreement within the working group meant the co-chairs of the group took responsibility for completing the Specification. This resulted in the time taken to complete the Specification being substantially extended.

A RAUC(S) Working Group – co-chaired by a representative from a roads authority and an undertaker – has reviewed and re-drafted the existing Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Roads over the past 15 months which included the following process:

reviewing the Department for Transport’s Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways Draft (Third Edition);
amending any English references, in particular any references made to sections of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 that apply to England by inserting the equivalent Scottish provision;
considering options to develop and include current local agreements related to materials and specifications; and
reviewing the technical specifications and decide whether these are appropriate for Scotland.